Waste Management Phoenix Open named 2018 Tournament of the Year

SILVIS, Ill. — Sebastian Munoz never knows when the switch will come on and the putts start to fall, but he recognized it happening Thursday in the John Deere Classic. Munoz was motoring along when he closed with five straight birdies at the TPC Deere Run for an 8-under 63, turning a solid day into a share of the lead with Chesson Hadley. “I just go blank, to be honest,” Munoz said. “It’s funny because when I make a lot of birdies, I usually play a little more safe and pick my spots. I have like 10-, 12-footers and they start to drop. That’s what I did today. And that’s where we’re at.” Hadley was on the other side of the course, finishing on the front nine. It wasn’t nearly as spectacular, but he played bogey-free and had back-to-back birdies on three occasions. He was helped by making three of his birdies from 25 feet. Hank Lebioda, who finished one shot out of the playoff last week in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, was poised to join them. He was 7 under through 12 holes and tied the lead with a tee shot on the 213-yard seventh hole that stopped 20 inches from the cup. But he missed the fairway to the right on the par-4 ninth, chose to pitch back to the fairway and hit a wedge to 6 feet below the cup. He missed the par putt and had to settle for a 64. Chez Reavie and Camilo Villegas, who played in the morning, also were at 64. Scoring was so good in immaculate conditions that nearly half the field broke 70. Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker, who chose to play in the 50th anniversary of the John Deere Classic instead of defending his title in the U.S. Senior Open, got off to a sluggish start until he rallied with a few birdies on the front nine for a 70. That will leave the three-time John Deere champion some work to do Friday afternoon to make the cut. But at least Stricker gets a little more sleep for that 54-year-old body. “I’m not used to getting up at 5 in the morning anymore to play,” Stricker said. “And I kind of played like I was still asleep for a while. Righted the ship a little bit. A little disappointed that I didn’t capitalize on a few more of those coming in.” The leading player from among the top five at the end of the week earns a trip to the Open Championship if he’s not already exempt. Munoz is in the field next week at Royal St. George’s. Hadley is not, though with so many low scores, it will take two more days to sort that out. Cam Davis, a playoff winner in Detroit last week, had to turn down his spot in the Open. Kevin Na decided to withdraw because of travel requirements in place for family members, and next on the reserve list was Davis. One problem. The Australian can’t travel overseas. He got married last September, lives with his American-born wife in Seattle and decided to start the process of getting a green card for ease of travel overseas and going home to Australia. He’s at the stage now where he can’t go overseas until he gets a temporary card. He knew that even before winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic. And he will get by. The emotions of winning for the first time can take a toll. Davis wasn’t sure if he would continue his good form or run out of gas. Thursday was a little of both. He holed an 8-foot eagle putt on the par-5 second and reached 6 under through 11 holes, only to play 2 over the rest of the way for a respectable 67. “I’m looking forward to seeing my family and celebrating back in Seattle next week and recharging a little bit because this week is already a bit of a grind to get through,” Davis said. “I’m pretty tired. It’ll be nice to relax.”

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Kevin Na chipped in from the rough more than 90 feet away for an incredible birdie to close out an 8-under 62 and take the first-round lead in the Fort Worth Invitational at Colonial on Thursday.

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THE OVERVIEW By Ben Everill, PGATOUR.COM This guy has been one to watch on the golf course since he was in diapers. It has seemingly been a long time coming, but finally Uihlein gets to ply his trade full time in his native USA and we all get to see first-hand the obvious talent he possesses. The son of Titleist CEO/President Wally Uihlein, golf has been in Peter’s blood from day one and he was always expected to find his place on the PGA TOUR – particularly after claiming the U.S. Amateur in 2010 on his 21st birthday. Instead, his path went through Europe after he won the Madeira Island Open in early 2013 and gained exemption on the European Tour. TOP 30 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2018: We’ll countdown our list with one new player each day in December. Click here for the published players. MORE: Top 30 explanation and schedule His efforts to get back to the States had gone unrewarded until last season where he gained enough non-member points to qualify for the Web.com Tour Finals and then he claimed the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Open.  As such we get to see him here and already, with two top-10s this season, he is set up to be a rising star to watch. Of course, there is no guarantee his game will translate as well as hoped back in the USA, but don’t be surprised if Uihlein runs a similar path to success like that of U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. The grounding one gets playing in countless different places in the world can certainly come in handy in pressure situations down the track.  Click here to follow Ben on Twitter FEDEXCUP 2017-18 position: 40 Playoff appearances: None (first season at PGA TOUR member) Best result: N/A BY THE NUMBERS INSIGHTS FROM OUR INSIDERS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Peter Uihlein in 2018. TOUR INSIDER by Cameron Morfit No more cortisone shots for Uihlein, who has been on a roll since his return to competition in October, 2016, after undergoing surgery on his left wrist. With his new coach Justin Parsons, who runs the Dubai branch of Butch Harmon’s golf school, Uihlein has developed a reliable power fade that helps him eliminate the left-side miss. He doesn’t lack for practice-round competition in Jupiter, Florida, but in keeping with his early professional career, he has said he aspires to be a global player. Click here to follow Cameron on Twitter FANTASY INSIDER by Rob Bolton Drawing a comparison to a major champion like Brooks Koepka is daunting, but it’s not unwarranted. In fact, Uihlein is exactly where he was expected to be right now. After battling injuries well into 2016, it would have been disappointing if he didn’t parlay good health and his raw talent into status for 2017-18. With a top-20 finish in the Race to Dubai, he’s now exempt into the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship and The Open Championship. With those bonuses banked and more coming, he’s sure to give Rookie of the Year front-runner Austin Cook a steady challenge for the honor. But most of all, the 28-year-old Uihlein has arrived as a reliable source of firepower and promise in every format. Click here to follow Rob on Twitter EQUIPMENT INSIDER by Jonathan Wall What separates Uihlein from most of his TOUR brethren is that he rarely carries a fairway wood. Instead, he transitions from a Titleist 917D2 driver into a 716 T-MB 2-iron he routinely carries 260 yards. Wedge setup features four Vokey SM6’s, including a 46-degree pitching wedge. Newport 2.5 putter offers 3/4 shaft of offset, allowing the topline to sidle up next to the ball for a simpler view at address.  Click here to follow Jonathan on Twitter STYLE INSIDER by Greg Monteforte Uihlein proves that classic doesn’t have to be boring. Look for him to continue to add color and texture to his looks in 2018 with bold checks, fine micro prints, and stylish jacquards in dark reds and brilliant blues. Click here to follow Greg on Twitter

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